Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Meeting date: Thursday, October 25, 2012

Official Report 350KB pdf

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Reform of Parliamentary Business (Correspondence)

Agenda item 4 is to consider correspondence from the Labour Party business manager, Paul Martin MSP, on the timetabling of Opposition business. The committee previously agreed to review the progress of implementation of the parliamentary reforms that came into force in September once they had been in place for six months. The Scottish Parliament information centre is collating information for that review. I wonder how members feel about getting SPICe to pull together information on the timetabling of Opposition business so that, when we come to review the matter early in the new year, we have full information on when Opposition business took place historically and what has happened since September. What do members feel about that approach?

For the record, I share Paul Martin’s concerns about the issue. It would be helpful if SPICe could collate the data, particularly on a historical basis going back to 1999 so that we have it from the start of Parliament.

That is more or less what I wanted to say, so that is fine.

I know that this is an issue that concerns Mr Martin and Mr Lamont but, as far as I am aware, the Parliament has never had as part of its standing orders a specific time for such business. It would be inappropriate for us to try to tie Parliament’s hands in any way. I am certainly aware that the Minister for Parliamentary Business has allocated Wednesday in recent weeks to the Labour Party. The current arrangement, whereby it is up to the minister and the Parliamentary Bureau, should be left. Mr Martin is perhaps a bit premature in writing to us on the issue. I am content with your suggestion, convener.

We will have the debate in the new year once we have the facts before us. I believe that a Tuesday afternoon has been allocated, as well. It will be interesting to see how things work in the next few months. We will come back to the issue.

I certainly support the issue being looked at. I note that Opposition business is being held next Tuesday afternoon.

Having come here from another place, I think that Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays here are treated pretty equally. I do not see a big range or think that one day is better than another, which is a contrast to Westminster, which technically sits Monday to Friday, although Friday is really treated as the end of the week and hardly anyone is there. Monday is similar; it is a bit second rate, if you like, and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are the main days. It is quite positive to see that all the days on which we sit are treated equally, especially since September.

We assured all members of Parliament and the public that we would review the situation. The convener is right that we should gather the information. We would welcome feedback from everyone across Scotland about how they perceive the parliamentary week to be working. Let us gather and collate the information and take a view after that.

Is the committee happy to go down that road, get the information, and have a look at it in the new year?

Members indicated agreement.

10:11 Meeting continued in private until 11:15.